


No Magic Word Can Make Me Disappear

by WhiteravenGreywolf



Category: Lovecraft Country (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blood, Established Relationship, F/F, inspired by jennifer's body - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:14:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28851165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteravenGreywolf/pseuds/WhiteravenGreywolf
Summary: Ruby is worried that Christina hasn't been answering her texts. Her anxiousness goes up quite a notch when Christina shows up at her window covered in blood and looking rather shook up.
Relationships: Ruby Baptiste/Christina Braithwhite
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45





	No Magic Word Can Make Me Disappear

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I couldn't stay away more than a week I guess!  
> First, a big trigger warning for blood, because this story is mostly about how Christina is covered in it. And a few bloody kisses too, but bloody kisses is how this ship started anyway.  
> I got the idea for this story yesterday morning while listening to "Phantom" by NateWantsToBattle (title of the story also comes from this kickass song). If I wasn't so busy, I just might have redone the whole movie with a few changes. Instead I mostly used the basic concept and changed a few things. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Christina hadn't been answering her phone all evening. Ruby was growing worried with each passing minute. There was a big fancy dinner at the Braithwhites that evening, which seemed to happen at least once a month. Christina hated them but Christina had to be there. And usually, during those evenings, Christina texted her well into the night. Ruby couldn't be there but she could keep her company that way. But tonight, nothing. Her last text had been at seven sharp when she'd had to step into the reception room – because of course, that huge mansion of hers had a reception room. Since then, nothing.

  
Ruby had been turning and turning in her bedroom. She'd called Christina ten times already. What more could she do? She had a bad, venomous feeling in her gut. It made her want to run. The cold dread in her chest made her think that Christina was in danger, and she was stuck in her small college dorm room, waiting for a text message that might never come.

  
Her phone vibrated suddenly and she jumped to it. Any wave of relief she'd felt dissipates when she saw it wasn't Christina calling, but Leti.

  
"What do you want?"

  
" _Jesus, someone's on edge. What's up? Is your girlfriend getting on your nerve again?_ "

  
Ruby rolls her eyes.

  
"She's not my girlfriend."

  
They were a deadly secret. If Christina's father ever found out, he would kill them both. And probably get away with it too, the rich bastard that he was.

  
"She hasn't been answering my texts and all my phone calls tonight. I'm getting worried."

  
" _You're worried over nothing. What could happen to her at those fancy parties, seriously?_ "

  
Still, Ruby was playing all the worse scenarios in her mind. She'd rather not name them, though, or else they would become painfully real. She was about to ask Leti again why she called when she heard a knock outside. It sounded far away. Ruby wasn't sure whether it was at her door at all. Still, she went to it, just to check, just in case.

  
"Hold on, I think someone's at the door."

  
Ruby opened the door and leaned her head outside. The light in the corridor turned on. There was no one. She thought maybe she could see someone in the staircase. Maybe it was someone bringing something to a friend. The hallway was empty.

  
"It was nothing," Ruby said as she closed the door.

  
" _You seriously need to calm down,_ " Leti said, still on the other side of the phone. " _Anyway, I was wondering if you had time to go shopping with me tomorrow?_ "

  
Ruby was barely listening to the question. She was looking out of the window. She felt observed. She approached the window and looked outside. There was nothing but dark grass under streetlights. The nearest tree was too far for its branches to reach her window. There was no one outside.

  
" _Ruby?_ "

  
The phone, right.

  
"I don't know, Leti. I'll call you back tomorrow to let you know, alright?"

  
Ruby hung up. She checked her phone again. No answer from Christina. The seeds of worry were rooted in her heart, but there wasn't much she could do. Maybe she should get some sleep. If Christina still hadn't answered tomorrow morning then Ruby would have no other choice but to go to the Braithwhite manor herself and check on her girlfriend.

  
She put her phone on her desk and rubbed her eyes tiredly. She turned off the light. The room grew cold and the flicker of a lighter resounded like a firework explosion. Ruby bolted around. There was someone seating by the edge of her window. She could see her outline from the streetlight outside. A few more sparks flew from the lighter before a small orange flame illuminated her face. Ruby knew that frame, she knew that body and that face, but for a second, she didn't recognize her.

  
Christina's usually impeccable blonde hair had partially fallen out of its bun. The lace dress she was wearing was crimson red. One of the sleeves and the bottom of it was torn. She was barefooted. She was holding her cigarette between her lips. The flame of the lighter came so close to her face. Her eyes turned from cobalt blue to fiery orange. The next second, the flame was gone, but the embers at the end of the cigarette still glowed in her eyes. The window behind her was open to let out the smoke. Still, Ruby's bedroom now smelled like ashes and copper.

  
Ruby wanted to switch on the light but she was afraid of what else she would see if she did. She thought she could see the hint of blood on her. Not the hint. There was blood on her, but Ruby's mind couldn't quite comprehend it. Better keep it secret, in the dark. But there was blood alright. Blood on her hands, staining her nails like spilled nail polish. Blood on her dress, and maybe the lace never was crimson to begin with but white. Blood on her face, around her mouth, dripping in a way lipstick never would.

  
"Sorry I couldn't return your texts," Christina said, finally, breaking Ruby's horror. Her voice was hoarse like she'd screamed too much. Like she just woke up from a nightmare.

  
"Christina... What happened?"

  
Christina took another drag from the cigarette. They both knew this wasn't the right question to ask. There were a hundred better, more precise questions to ask. Why couldn't you reply? Why didn't you answer my calls? Why are you here? Why are you covered in blood? How did you get here, at my window, on the fifth floor?

  
"I'm not sure yet."

  
She took a long drag, hard, as if she wanted to sip in all the toxic components of the cigarette faster. She threw the bud out the window and let out the last of the smoke into the night air. Then, she stood into the room and stalked forward, one step at a time, toward Ruby.

  
"I think I'm still a bit confused. Or maybe I don't want to remember."

  
"Remember what?"

  
Ruby was standing her ground. She hadn't turned on the light yet, but there was no doubt anymore that her friend was covered in blood. So much of it.

  
"Whose blood is that?"

  
Christina looked down at herself as if she wasn't certain what Ruby meant. She stopped. She stared at the blood. Did she not realize she was covered in it? Ruby was pretty sure there was blood in her hair too.

  
"Christina?"

  
Christina blinked. She looked at Ruby.

  
"Mine. Mine and... theirs?"

  
Ruby had never seen her so confused before. Christina was never confused. She knew everything there was to know about everything.

  
"Christina... What happened tonight?"

  
Christina was stiller than a marble statue. Ruby was not certain she was even breathing. She was fighting with herself over something. Carefully, Ruby approached her. She swallowed her fear and stopped when she was close enough to touch her. She didn't, not yet.

  
"Chris? Are you okay?"

  
Christina did not answer. Gently, Ruby placed her hand on Christina's clothed shoulder. The garment wasn't sticking, but it was coarse, stiff. The blood was dry. Whatever had happened to her, it must have happened a while back. Christina snapped back to life. There was a flash of something in her eyes, something hungry that almost made Ruby flinch away. But she didn't move. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, but she didn't move.

  
"I'm not going to hurt you," Christina whispered.

  
"I'm not afraid of you. I'm afraid of what happened to you."

  
Ruby didn't remember the blonde had been standing so close a moment ago. She reached to brush a lock of hair away from Christina's face. It wasn't its usual color, but a dirty, rusted shade of red instead. It was stiff with dried blood and didn't stay tugged behind Christina's ear.

  
"Don't be afraid," Christina breathed. "I took care of them."

  
Ruby wanted to question what that meant. She was speechless when Christina's hands cupped her cheeks.

  
"I want to kiss you."

  
The words came through with difficulty through the blood whistling in Ruby's ears. For a moment, she thought she'd hallucinated.

  
"You're covered in blood," Ruby pointed out.

  
Christina smirked devilishly. Ruby knew this smirk all too well, she knew it meant trouble.

  
"You'll like it, I promise."

  
Ruby wanted to say no. It seemed disgusting. But she also wanted to get that smirk off of the blonde's face. The latter instincts prevailed, and before Christina could add any snarky comment, Ruby pulled her into a kiss. Ruby remembered their previous kisses. They were usually hurried and wet. Christina often tasted like whiskey and apple. This kiss was hungry and hot. Christina tasted like ashes and copper. Like death. It made Ruby's skin burn up. This was probably what fire and brimstone meant.

  
They pulled away. Cold air filled Ruby's lungs. Christina's eyes weren't blue anymore. All the color had been drained from her irises. They were white. But not a beautiful white, not like snow or the petals of a white rose. They were white like bones. Christina blinked and the blue returned but the wariness didn't leave Ruby.

  
"I said I won't hurt you. I'll never hurt you," Christina said again, her voice anxiously wavering. It didn't reassure Ruby at all. Was it ever in question?

  
"What happened to you?" Ruby asked as she took Christina's hand in hers.

  
"I... I'd rather not talk about it, not..."

  
Ruby nodded.

  
"You can stay here tonight," Ruby said. "But you should probably take a shower first."

  
The taste of copper was still on her tongue. I should brush my teeth, Ruby thought.

  
"You're probably right. I can't wear this dress any longer."

  
Ruby wasn't the least bit surprised when, a second later, Christina reached behind her and started pulling the zipper of her dress.

  
"A little help?"

  
"Yeah, sure."

  
Ruby helped Christina out of her dress. The stiff dress fell to the ground. Christina was left in stained underwear. When she turned to face Ruby, something caught Ruby's eyes. There was a long scar just over Christina's heart. It hadn't been there before. Ruby would know. It looked like a surgical scar, but more intense. It hadn't been stitched at all. Christina was surprised when Ruby placed a hand on the red scar.

  
"What is that?"

  
"It's... I don't want to think about it."

  
Christina looked genuinely scared thinking about it, so Ruby didn't push. Christina placed a hand over hers and once again, they were in each other's space.

  
"I want to forget tonight."

  
Christina never cried. Ever. Her voice was trembling and her eyes were filled with tears, but Ruby could tell she was fighting back. Her hand moved up Ruby's arm and she reached for the hem of her tee-shirt. Ruby let her do. They kissed. The taste of death was still there. Soon enough, the taste of salt replaced it. Ruby's arms circled Christina to pull her closer. She didn't want to let her go ever again.

* * *

They were fused in bed afterward. Neither of them could pull away. Christina's search for life and warmth had come to an end. Ruby wouldn't let her go until she was certain the blonde was alright, as alright as she could be. There was still blood on her hands and blood on her face and blood in her hair. Her head was tugged under Ruby's chin.

  
"Will you tell me what happened to you?" Ruby asked because the smell of death could only be chased temporarily, and it was back now. It was the only thing Ruby could think of when she felt the scar beneath her hand.

  
Christina burrowed closer still, all of her front touching Ruby's skin, and her arms holding her waist, and her ear against the crook of her neck, feeling blood flowing beneath, climbing to Ruby's brain and returning to her heart.

  
"I was so scared," she admitted with a small voice. "After I sent you the text, father... he said he had some people to introduce me. He took me to the library and then..."

  
Christina clung harder and so Ruby pulled her closer in response.

  
"They tied me to a table. I kept asking what was going on but father just said I was serving my purpose. I tried screaming but no one could hear me."

  
Christina wasn't crying. She never cried, and she'd already cried too much for one night. Her voice was growing cold, Ruby could feel it. So she kept her close, kept her warm.

  
"They recited these words I didn't understand. And then..."

  
Ruby ran a finger over the scar. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine what followed then. She could see Christina struggling on the table. She could see shapes, hooded shadows, chanting. She could see Christina's father pulling a dagger as long as an arm.

  
"All I know is I woke up a moment later. There was so much blood. But I was unbound."

  
"Did you kill them all?" Ruby asked.

  
"Not all of them. Some ran off. I killed my father. And I ate his liver. I killed three other guys, I think. I'm saving the others for later. Whatever happened to me, I was so hungry when I woke up. Hunger like I'd never felt before. But it's alright now. When I'll be hungry again I'll go after them."

  
Christina seemed ready to sleep now. Ruby needed to ask her one last question.

  
"Will you eat me when you get hungry?"

  
Christina smirked against her collarbone.

  
"Yours is a different type of hunger altogether. A different craving. A better craving."

  
As she spoke, Christina pulled away from Ruby. Ruby could see her smile and her eyes, the depth and the darkness in them. Christina kissed her. The ashes and the copper were gone. Death was gone. There was fire, a dark and all-consuming fire. Ruby's chest was light with relief. Christina was fine, somehow. That was all she could think about as she touched her skin. If this was a dream, she didn't want to be awakened. And if it was a nightmare, well, she would embrace it all the same.


End file.
